Villarreal push for revival as Getafe look to Nathan Saliba

Villarreal will be desperate to rebound after being thrashed 6‑0 by Paris Saint‑Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Getafe also seek to lift spirits following a 1‑0 Conference League defeat to Promise David’s Brighton & Hove Albion, leaving both Spanish sides eager for a win.

Both Villarreal and Getafe suffered defeats in mid‑week European competition, leaving the Yellow Submarine especially eager to return to the win column.

Canadian duo Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi featured for Villarreal as the side were smashed 6‑0 by Paris Saint‑Germain on Tuesday.

Two days later Getafe fell 1‑0 to Promise David’s Brighton & Hove Albion in Conference League play.

Both clubs entered as underdogs, yet the manner of Villarreal’s loss proved particularly frustrating for head coach Iñigo Pérez.

“When you suffer a defeat like the one we experienced the other day, and it comes after another loss against Espanyol, the levels of excitement and enthusiasm naturally decrease,” he said. “As the hours pass, those feelings begin to recover, but it’s true that we’ve needed the group environment, meetings and conversations to remind ourselves that, for better or worse, football quickly gives you another opportunity. You can put things into perspective knowing you’ve lost a match, in this case in the Champions League, but you can still achieve your objective. That’s the kind of message we have to keep reinforcing and I believe it’s the right one, while understanding that going through that period of disappointment is necessary and cannot be avoided.”

Getafe’s most recent LaLiga victory was a 3‑1 win over Sevilla, but they remain 15th in the table, four places behind Villarreal.

Both sides aim to climb the league, especially Villarreal, who finished third last season but are now far from replicating that success.

Squad news and international duties

Villarreal could bolster their midfield with the return of third Canadian Nathan Saliba.

The Anderlecht summer signing has missed recent games with a muscle injury but is expected to feature in some capacity against Getafe.

Saliba had hoped to rejoin the squad mid‑week after training, yet he did not feature in the defeat to Paris Saint‑Germain.

Coach Jesse Marsch will look to give Saliba minutes in Sunday’s Nations League quarter‑final against Guatemala, where he is set to become Canada’s midfield main man.

Buchanan and Oluwaseyi are also in Canada’s squad and are expected to play major roles.